Borrowed Time
by FreakLives
Summary: It's been three years since the disease struck, and small signs of civilization are flourishing in a small town in Pennslyvania. The kids have found the grown-ups to be predictable and easy to fight. But with the grown-ups only minor threats, what happens when already battered kids go to war with each other? Living off of borrowed time, the kids try and make a world worth dying for


_Borrowed Time_

"_The day I learn to fly…I'm never coming down"_

_-Rise Against, "Heaven Knows"_

Chapter One: Revolution

The snow of a new winter flew softly in flurries from the night sky, blessing the ground with its silken touch. The once active and prosperous Valley Forge Safezone-a neighborhood sealed off with makeshift walls- had long since calmed, spare the three guards at the front entrance and the back one. Its occupants backed up their fighting capabilities with military grade weaponry, found in the abandoned base of a gang. Those who lived their claimed to be the harbingers of a new era, bringing hope to the world by making sure all groups in the surrounding vicinity were under their control. They claimed to be fair and just, only resorting to violence when given no other choice.

What crap.

Oliver saw them as a cancer to the brain of a true flourishing society. They were pests and menaces, using their might like a wrecking ball. Because from day one, the first words ever muttered to his group from these 'saviors' was "Agree to our terms, or we kill all of you". Very righteous and very just.

Oliver's group at a school only agreed through clenched teeth in hope to fight another day. This was that other day, one long year after first coming into contact with the group ten miles away from Seneca Valley Middle School. Assistance was requested from the other group in the large town of Cranberry Township, who were stationed at a small hospital, but out of fear their leader Adrienne declined.

Now, the darkest hours of night falling over the neighborhood and offering a serene and brisk atmosphere, Oliver Rhodes pulled his tan jacket closer around his body and took cover behind and abandoned car fifteen yards away from the front gates of Valley Forge. His three closest confidents were by his side and in front of him. He clutched his military grade M4 assault rifle and straightened his holstered M9 pistol at his belt, bringing his emerald green eyes back up too the gates. His gladius sword hung by his side; a modern replica of the weapon of the Ancient Romans and a symbol of his authority in the group. However, in the pitched gunfight that would most likely take place, the weapon lost its abilities.

Icarus Wylie crouched behind the car next to Oliver and checked the magazine in his FN FAL battle rifle, nodding to himself as he slapped the loaded magazine back into the weapon and racked the action to chamber a bullet. His jet black hair blended into the night, only noticeable by the flakes of snow that dotted it. His belt carried a holster for his Smith and Wesson 686 revolver, as well as a homemade leather sheath for his throwing knife. The 12 inch long, solid piece of metal was made for throwing as its name would suggest, however, it functioned just as well as a survival and combat blade. Icarus had wrapped the blunt end in OD green Para cord to function as a handle and allow the transition of a throwing knife to a survival blade. However, it was often a party trick for Icarus to perform elaborate trick shots with the blade, although in combat it wasn't thrown. It was too valuable to him. His black cargo jacket was homemade as well, sewn by a group of girls who functioned to make clothes. It was a handy survival tool, having many pockets were he stuffed ammo for his revolver. A brown satchel hung around his shoulder and down to his side, where he stored five magazines for his FAL. He was in charge of security at the school, Oliver's second in command, and arguably the best fighter in all fields of combat.

Connor Speck was next to Oliver, his own black hair fashioned in a Mohawk. He hailed from the United Kingdom, evident by his OD green British Army jacket with the Union Jack on the left shoulder, and was visiting cousins when the disease hit. He toted an AKM assault rifle and a Glock 19 pistol looted from a diseased police officer. His sheathed machete was looted from an army surplus store, but like Oliver's gladius it would loss value when the bullets began to fly. He was the group's comedian and musician; acting as moral support and a close friend with everyone in the forty-kid strong group at the school. His duty was to act as the voice of the people and make sure that their concerns were heard. He played the guitar, mostly acoustic to conserve the power of the school's generator, but occasionally Oliver would relent and allow Connor to ring out a solo from the electric guitar he kept around. He bounced on the balls of his feet, his ADHD acting up as he waited in anticipation for the raid.

Tess Richmond crouched down in behind the boys, her Remington Model 700 rifle outstretched. Her OD green cap sat on her head, covering her light brown hair that was tied in a ponytail and her brown jacket was pulled tightly around her thin, dancer's body. At her belt wasn't a holstered sidearm, but a hatchet that was tucked into the belt. Slung over back was a Mossberg 500 shotgun. Her background as a ballet dancer surprised the group, because at first when they found her alone and desperate for supplies and hope she remained stoic and cold hearted. No one blamed her though; she had survived two years, on the road, practically by herself. Not exactly by herself, she did have two previous groups, but she was the only survivor of both of them. Oliver caught on pretty quickly that she must've had a fear of attachment, and shared that with the others. Slowly she warmed up to the group and shared her skills off marksmanship and became a close friend to Oliver, who made her in charge of keeping inventory on weapons and training other kids how to shoot.

Together they made an efficient and accommodating team. Although Oliver was the official leader of the group, there wasn't ever a time where he didn't confide with the four kids by his side that night first. They were a union of leaders; excelling in their individual jobs but requiring the assistance of the other three to make decisions that would benefit the entirety of the group. They were all leaders that people would get behind and leader's people would fight for. They could be the _true _harbingers of a new society where the grown-ups are brought to their knees. A society where children could roam the fields and play in playground's without having to be monitored with the precision of a hawk. A world where you could finally let your guard down and not fear about dying a painful death at the hands of monsters; a world were you can sit down and admire what you've created and say to yourself "All I need is what I have".

A world worth dying for.

Oliver ran a hand though his dirty blond hair and breathed out an exhale. He looked at Valley Forge with a look that said that whatever hardships came out of this spark that could ignite a war, it'd be worth it.

"I'm not sure about this." Tess whispered, white mist emitting from her mouth from the cold as she turned to face the three boys who were scrunched against the side of the car.

"We ain't killers." Connor agreed his voice caught in the middle of a British and American accent. He'd been with Oliver and Icarus since day one, and every year that went by his voice went more and more native.

"We've been bending over backwards for them long enough." Icarus argued in the same hushed tone.

Oliver turned toward the group with a somber expression in his green eyes, "There's no turning back now…remember what they did to Steven?"

Icarus, Connor, and Tess' voice were caught in their throats as Oliver admitted those words while nodding in empathy. It wasn't something they'd forget; Steven's demise was etched into their souls.

_It had been an overcast September day, two long months ago when Tess first spotted the Jeep approaching the school from her makeshift watchtower on the roof of the school. They hadn't heard from their supply team in three days, and she thought they had finally returned. However, upon closer inspection, she saw a familiar-and unfriendly-figure in bed of the jeep. Jeremy Weiss; military general of the Valley Forge Safezone. He was driving his jeep and team across a highway to the right of the school, giving Tess five minutes warn the others. _

_In the five minutes it took for Jeremy to make it too the school, Oliver had mobilized six fighters, leaving the rest of his fighters inside to protect the ones who couldn't protect themselves. There was a frantic rush into the armory as Tess got back up in her guard tower with her Remington rifle that never left her side. _

_Oliver led his men outside the front entrance of the school, where ten feet out was a makeshift wall made of various pieces of junk found at a junkyard. In their haste to get a weapon, most of the boys grabbed a different rifle then the one they trained with; Icarus grabbed a Winchester Model 1892 lever action rifle, Connor grabbed Icarus' FAL, Oliver grabbed Connor's AKM, and Elliot and Matt, two other boys who acted as guards, both grabbed M16 rifles that they had never used before. Luckily for them the leader of Valley Forge, a regal and stoic girl named Maggie, could be reasonable at times; in return for half of the food and water of the school, she traded half of the black market weapons they had looted from the gang base. There were guns mixed from ones scavenged around Cranberry, and ones that kids brought from their homes, but the bulk of their firepower came from Maggie._

_Tess brought Jeremy into the sights of her rifle scope as the jeep stopped ten feet away from the makeshift walls, where the five boys assembled on the top of a school bus that had been used as a vantage point where guards at the front could gaze over. They raised their weapons and the clacking of actions being racked simultaneously rang out. Jeremy offered a brisk smile as he exited his vehicle along with the two heavily armed boys in the front seats. Another boy left the truck bed, pulling along a kid with a burlap bag over his head. The boy was wearing tattered cargo pants and was shirtless and barefoot. Scars lined his bare chest, and when the bag was ripped off his head by Jeremy there was a collective gasp from the school kids._

_It was Steven; leader of the missing supply team._

"_Bet your thinking twice about raising those weapons!" Jeremy shouted with a raspy laugh._

_Oliver hissed the order for his men to drop behind the small section of the wall that was tall enough over the top of the bus that when the four boys crouched down, they were hidden from view. Oliver thought for a moment and lowered his rifle, setting it at his feet on the bus' roof that was painted yellow, however after nearly three years the paint began to chip off and collect dirt and grime._

"_We did _nothing _to instigate this." Oliver reasoned calmly, "There isn't any need for this to end with you dead."_

_Jeremy slapped his thigh and broke out laughing with his men; a raspy laugh that made a shutter run through Oliver's body, "This is great! Every time I visit you remind me why I love ya Ollie!"_

_Oliver hated that nickname; he hadn't used it since the third grade. However, Jeremy went to school with both Icarus and Oliver, and was a notorious bully. Ollie was the only name Jeremy knew the leader by._

_When the laughter died down, Jeremy just shrugged as Steven looked into the walls of the school with a blank expression, reading the defiance he had learned when fighting alongside the grown-ups with the boys that lined the wall and with Tess in her guard tower. The six of them were all on edge; Steven was their friend, and they didn't want this scenario to end the way they thought it would. _

"_This dumb bastard." Began Jeremy as he walked behind the Jeep and grabbed an object not visible, "Decided it'd be smart to not play nice and share the supplies he and his boys scavenged with the big boys who carry big guns."_

_Oliver knew that wasn't true. The confrontation most likely played out with Jeremy wanting all of the gathered materials, and Steven declined. They killed everyone but Steven, brought him back to Valley Forge, and "interrogated" him. With a crowbar; Oliver was good at judging what weapon left what mark._

_Jeremy appeared back into view, and although Oliver remained stoic on the outside, his mind was racing with fear when he saw what in Jeremy's grasp. A fire axe._

_He whistled sharply and Icarus, Connor, Matt, and Elliot rose up again, weapons raised and fingers curling around triggers. _

"_Oh, look at those poor saps!" Jeremy remarked to his men, "Thinking they're tough and all…it's cute!" _

_Oliver's face contorted into a scowl and he dropped down behind the barricade, and Icarus and Connor did the same. Elliot, Matt, and Tess kept their rifles trained on Jeremy's head._

"_I swear, give us half of your guns or I'll cut his goddamn head off!" Jeremy warned._

"_Go to Hell!" Tess shouted back._

"_What do we do?" Oliver whispered with disbelief._

"_Jeremy's an egocentric maniac." Icarus told Oliver, "He's all talk."  
_

"_A kid wouldn't kill another kid like that." Connor agreed._

"_Then we deny him of our guns?" _

_Connor nodded and Icarus said yes._

"_Well say it like you mean it!" Oliver exclaimed in a hushed whisper of frustration._

"_I'm not aging backwards!" Jeremy reminded the group, getting impatient. _

_Oliver cursed under his breath and stood again, his M9 holstered incase things turned into a gunfight but his- or rather Connor's- rifle still on the bus roof. Connor stood and Icarus crouched up, using the top of the wall to rest the barrel of his rifle and steady his aim._

"_I think you're bluffing; Maggie wouldn't appreciate his death. It'd be going against our agreement." Oliver announced defiantly, trying to delay this Mexican Standoff one nanosecond at a time. This caused Jeremy's face to contort in a glare that made Oliver's heart stop._

"_What is wrong with you?!" Jeremy demanded as he raised the axe over his head and swung it in a heavy arc, piercing through the side of Steven's neck and leaving a gaping wound._

"_His blood's on your hands!" Jeremy declared as he tossed the bloody axe in the jeep bed as his men retreated to the car and left Steven to bleed out. The jeep began driving away at a leisurely pace, leaving the six shocked kids behind as their minds struggled with trying to explain to them what just went down and what they needed to do now._

_The car was thirty feet away when Tess fired the first shot. The car lurched forward at a much more rushed speed as the wall erupted in gunfire, the six witnesses to the execution screaming profanity and insults at the boys in the jeep, not managing to kill anyone though as anger clouded their minds and their accuracy. Tears streamed down Tess' face as the car disappeared, Icarus threw up, and Oliver fought the urge to cry himself. They cremated Steven later that afternoon in a bonfire, and the whole school mourned the losses of four of their own. They cremated bodies so they couldn't pollute their farmland, but a wall on the cafeteria was a monument dedicated to the kids who died since the beginning of the school becoming a Safezone two and a half years before. With the addition of the four supply team members, there were eighteen names on the wall._

_When Maggie traveled to the school the next day to discuss the incident, Oliver fought the urge to put a bullet in her brain._

The nods began slowly. Oliver smiled faintly and turned his head back to focus on the walls of Valley Forge.

"I'm seeing three guards up front." Oliver whispered back, his gaze not leaving Valley Forge, "Icarus, Tess; we'll pick them off. Connor, as soon as we fire I want you to let loose with a burst just in case we miss. If Fisher's true to his word, there'll be a ladder by the front entrance. We enter the 'Zone that way, and we make our way to the back entrance and leave. Shoot at anyone you see; you don't have to kill anyone. Just make sure to scare them to death, and this will all work out just how we need it too."

Donald Fisher was the leader of the only group not under the oppression of Valley Forge. The only reason was that you could control one large group of kids who stayed put very easily. However, Fisher only had a group of twelve kids, six boys including him and six girls, and they constantly moved around the town like nomads. Three of the boys were archers and three carried spears. Three of the girls had bows, and the other three had spears. Fisher had OCD, and everything for him needed to be equal. He was a brilliant tactician, but never put those skills into use. His group did errands if you paid them the right price; they'd kill any grown-ups in the area, provide an escort on supply runs, or do things like hide a ladder for entrance. Whatever the job was, so long as you paid. Technically Fisher's group didn't choose a side, but Oliver paid him. What worried Oliver is the idea that if Maggie paid more then Fisher would stab them in the back.

Oliver pushed those thoughts away. You couldn't survive if you thought like that.

Oliver looked back to his group, and figured the best thing to do would be to give a quick speech and rally his troops, "We've survived three years in this hell…..we've done the _impossible_...that makes us mighty. We are not going to throw away all of our hard work just to bow down to this tyrants who fear human progress. Tonight, we show them that we won't bow to their leadership."

That was the point of the midnight raid. They didn't need to rescue any prisoners, or take any supplies. The whole point of the raid was to send a message: "We won't crawl on our knees for you anymore". Some kids at the school thought that when society was rebuilt that everyone would band together under one flag like the old days and everything would be fine and dandy. That wasn't nearly close to the truth. Society would be like Europe after the Roman Empire fell until the Normans invaded England; everyone would rule their own small settlement the way they wanted to, and ten miles south another place would be doing their own thing how they wanted. That was how they would rebuild society. Oliver had a theory that unity to form a new nation was long dead.

"Roamers." Tess informed them as they crouched behind the battered car. Oliver cocked his head towards the back and did see them about twenty yards away, shuffling toward the kids. They weren't the enemy tonight.

"Come on." Connor whispered nervously, "Let's get this over with."

"Agreed." Icarus chimed in, "I'm assuming that if we split up we just meet up at the end?"

Oliver nodded; it was the best system. He didn't like the idea, but he also had confidence in each of their skills. They had the element of surprise to tip the odds in their favor as well. If they got split up, everything would be fine if they kept level heads.

Oliver was the first to raise his rifle slowly, resting the barely on the battered car hood. Icarus then raised his rifle on the cab roof, and Tess inched forward to stand next to Icarus while Connor moved and prepared to fire. Tess rested her rifle next to Icarus'.

"I have the one on the right." Oliver informed.

"The one in the middle's mine." Icarus murmured as he rested his cheek on the stock of his FAL.

"My choices are limited then." Tess said without humor in her voice.

Each of the kid's curled a finger around a trigger as their targets hummed on in life without much of a worry. They were the people that killed Steven. That didn't stop their minds from wandering from their rifle sights and wondering if the people they were about to murder had families. Little brothers and sisters they took care of and tried to ease the pain and suffering and melancholy of losing parents that no young kid should go through. Maybe they had older siblings and the roles were reversed.

Icarus' eyes blurred in distortion at the sudden drop in thought as he shook his head to bring himself back to reality and re-affirmed his sights one the target, surprised that seconds dulled by and no one fired.

It was with a one-two-three succession that the rifle shots rang out. Tess' target dropped clutching his neck and dropping the gun he held in his hands. She gasped and fell against the car for cover. She _killed _someone.

Icarus and Oliver missed their targets. Normally straight shooters, the shock of killing a human being through off their aim like anger or fear or exhaustion does to someone. As Icarus and Oliver dropped behind the car like planned in the hike from the school, Connor raised and his AKM chattered off at the walls. The recoiled still hurt his shoulder despite being thoroughly trained for almost a year.

The raid had begun.

With a sharp order, Connor stopped shooting and the three kids rose from their cover. The guards at the front gate dropped, either dead or too terrified to shoot back. The short run woke up the kids as blood that felt like it was boiling under their skin came to life and circulated through their systems with the rush and sick-enjoyment and over bearing fear coursed through their veins.

When reaching the wall it was revealed that Connor had killed one of the guards. The last remaining rose up with a handgun trained on Oliver, who led the pack. Oliver skidded across the icy pavement to try and stop his movement as two gunshots erupted from behind his head, striking the guard in the chest before Oliver could get shot. Icarus lowered his smoking gun and grabbed onto Oliver's jacket, holding him up so he could retain his balance.

Oliver muttered a thank you as he hit the pavement and reached under a car for the ladder Fisher had hidden. It blended in with the other debris that scattered the area in front of Valley Forge's front gates. Fisher had instructed Oliver to look under the red sedan and held to his words.

Tess assisted Oliver with setting up the ladder while Icarus and Connor trained their weapons at the top of the gates in the event that someone would take the guards place. When the ladder was set up, Oliver waited at the bottom to hold it steady as Tess, Icarus, and Connor slung their weapons over their backs. Connor was first, then Tess. Icarus drew his Smith and Wesson before following.

Icarus' mother owned the revolver for home defence. When asked why he chose six shots over twice that-which a semi-automatic pistol could carry- he remarked, "Shame on me if what I'm shooting at doesn't drop after six shots".

Connor and Tess crouched on top of the platform made as apart of the gates where the three bodies laid and began to fire at the citizens who emerged out of their homes. There was a straight line that ran along two rows of houses to the back entrance, each row containing twelve homes. Icarus joined them and fired two shots from his revolver before holstering the weapon and steadying the ladder for Oliver. Oliver breathed out frantic exhales as he climbed up quickly to the sound of gunfire. Kids were leaving the homes they occupied with weapons, but dropped as soon as they got shot at. Most of the shots from Connor and Tess only scared the kids, but one shot did hit one kid in the head.

Tess began to reload her Remington as Icarus and Oliver joined them. They both drew their rifles as well and took the risk of jumping down from the platform. They didn't want to be exposed targets climbing down another ladder. When the kids assembled inside of the front wall, ready to run toward the back entrance to get this over with as quickly as possible, the first shot intended to kill them rang out.

The bullet grazed Connor's shoulder, causing him to fall back and yelp in surprise. Oliver located the gunman in the window of the first house on the right and let loose with a burst that punctured the girl's chest, her rifle falling through the window and her limp body falling back into the room, out of view.

Icarus quickly dropped down with Connor and pulled the sleeve of his jacket back over his left shoulder where the bullet hit him. Icarus then pulled back the sleeve of Connor's grey T-shirt under the jacket and checked the wound. A trickle of blood ran down to Connor's funny bone, but the bullet only grazed him and barely broke skin.

"You're good." Icarus breathed out in relief, then shouted out over the gunfire so Oliver and Tess could hear him as the two fired back at the kids of Valley Forge, who were just beginning to mount a counter-attack, "Connor's good!"

He released Connor's shirt and pulled him up as he grabbed his FAL which he dropped. Oliver dropped to a knee to reload, and Connor fired a small burst before his AKM before he ran dry as well and reached into his pocket for a magazine. That's when Tess gasped and Icarus stopped shooting.

From a house six spaces up on the right, five kids emerged, all armed with M4 assault rifles. In front of the groups was Maggie, who raised her gun and let loose with a burst as she sighted in the insurgents who still were at the front gates.

The bullets panged past Oliver's head, making him drop the magazine he had been trying to load. He quickly seized the loaded magazine and realized how exposed they were, by the front wall, with no cover.

"This way!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as he began to run to the nearest house on the right as Icarus laid down fire from his FAL. Connor popped in another magazine before running after Oliver. Tess fired one last shot and her gun clicked when she racked the bolt and pressed the trigger again, signaling she was out of ammo. She ran after Connor and Oliver.

Icarus noticed that as he stood and inched toward the three, firing off single shots sparingly and finally dropping one of Maggie's men from a headshot, that another group exited the second house on the left. Jeremy and three boys also held M4's, making their way toward Maggie's group that was one man short due to Icarus.

Icarus cursed under his breath as his magazine ran out. He slung his rifle back over his back quickly and drew his revolver, realizing that Oliver, Tess, and Connor were already to the door of the first house on the right. Icarus stood and began sprinting in desperation to reach them, but when he reached a parked SUV on the street curb a hail of lead rained down on him. He slid on the icy street onto his back on the pavement, shielded by the car's hood. He saw Oliver bust down the door like a linebacker, and the other two entered after him. Gunshots rang out and Icarus could see muzzle flashes from the window but not his group. He didn't know if they killed one of Maggie's troops, or if they perished themselves.

Kids of Valley Forge were making their way toward Maggie instead of leading an attack on the house where the rest of Icarus' group was at. Hopefully they thought he was dead.

Icarus closed his eyes for a moment and saw his mother.

In a blue dress that reached down to her ankles, with a silver locket around her neck. Icarus' mother loved the color blue. The dress was a pale blue like Icarus' eyes. She smiled, and beckoned for him to follow her. Behind her a house materialized out of oblivion; his childhood home. The home where he and his mother lived alone, because his father left her and she didn't date much and she didn't care to have any other children. Her auburn hair tumbled over her shoulders in beautiful meticulous curls as she retreated into the home. They'd bake cookies together, and watch a movie, and Icarus would curl into that nook in her arm and slowly fall asleep, even if he was fourteen years old and should be out of that behavior.

Icarus opened his eyes, and he was running.

Gunfire kicked up snow at his feet as Maggie's soldiers noticed. He sprinted with his FAL still over his back and his revolver in hand, bracing down his head slightly to keep the snow out of his eyes. It was something of a combat miracle, and the image of the Marine runner on Okinawa in World War 2 came to his mind as he made it to the second house on the left. Jeremy's house. He followed Oliver's moves and braced his shoulder, making his athletic form compact and bursting through the closed door as a bullet barely missed his head. Wood splinters fluttered out of his way and the brick material the house was constructed on chipped as fully automatic fire from multiple gunman chased after Icarus until he disappeared from their view.

He clutched his FAL and breathed out a pent up sigh, giving off a hoarse and raspy laugh at the fact he was still breathing. He quickly entered a room to his right, what was probably once a family room with a large faux-leather couch and a cracked flat screen TV. He ripped back the drapes and watched from the window with eyes narrowed in hatred as he saw at least twenty kids around Maggie and Jeremy. Jeremy was pointing toward the house Icarus had entered, and three boys ran toward it.

There was a momentary pause in the gunfight as Icarus watched Tess smash a window in the upper floor of the house that the rest of his friends took refuge in. He smiled as Tess rained down fire from her Remington, and gasped when he saw that her shoulder seemed to be soaked in blood.

He needed to buy them time. The splintered group of insurgents where in over their heads, but there was still a chance for the majority to survive, and Icarus knew it. If he could only buy them enough time so they could escape.

The three boys were still running toward the house as Maggie's troops started to raise weapons. Icarus took the stock of his FAL and bashed it against the window, shattering the tough glass with a resounding crash. Icarus' face contorted into a sneer as the boys came to a stop at the sound. Icarus raised his rifle and fired five shots, dropping the three boys with bullets to the chest. He then focused his rifle on Maggie's group and didn't even aim as he rained down fire at them.

He watched as the twenty-some kids hit the ground and scattered at being attacked from two sides. More gunfire erupted from Tess' building, and Icarus was filled with hope. There was still a chance that his rag-tag group of dumb bastards could get out of this alive.

When his magazine ran dry, he cursed and stepped away from the window, knowing that when Maggie and Jeremy regrouped he'd been bathed in bullets. He didn't bother reloading as he entered back into the foyer. He conjured up a quick and desperate plan in his mind as his suspicions were confirmed and gunfire entered the living room.

_Just keep destroying your own house morons _Icarus thought with a grin as he walked briskly to a door in the middle of a corridor that connected the foyer to the kitchen. He opened it and his guess was correct. This door would lead him to the basement. Of course, exiting out of the garage door wasn't exactly a full proof plan that would ensure his survival, but he had nothing better to do with all factors on the table.

Icarus had killed _seven _people. This took his by surprise as he treaded down the stairs. What shocked him more was the lack of feeling he felt.

It was barely a dent in the eighty-strong population of Valley Forge. Of course, they were crowded in this small neighborhood but thinking of expanding. This played to the school group's advantage; there would be hassle to get out of over-crowded homes, which would slow them down.

Icarus' breaths were rapid and hitched as musty air infiltrated his lungs. He hit the concrete floor of the basement and dropped his rifle, crouching on the ground to catch his breath. He felt like eyes were on him, but shrugged that off as post-apocalyptic paranoia.

Icarus grabbed his rifle and stood to his feet, and saw her.

She was duct-taped to a slate of wood, roughly ten feet tall. It was slanted, probably so she wouldn't dislocate her shoulders. The duct-tape was covering her mouth and at her wrists and ankles, spread apart so she was making an X on the board. Her hair was unkempt and a deep scarlet. Her nose was upturned; her eyes were small and wide-set, and she had long eyelashes. Her eyes were a darker green that Oliver's were and had flecks of gold around the pupil. Her chin had a weak structure. On her red cheeks there were dried tears and Icarus wondered why. His eyes left her face though and he realized she wasn't wearing any clothing.

His pale blue eyes quickly feel up again and he felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. As he saw the worry in her green eyes he put the pieces together and his cheeks stayed red. With anger this time.

He dropped his rifle and his gaze never left her eyes, just in case she felt self-conscious. He knew he would if a stranger was staring at his naked body. Slowly he drew his knife and approached the girl, noticing her wince.

"It's alright; I'm not going to hurt you." He cooed softly, "Just hold still…."

Icarus slowly slid the metal under the duct-tape that bounded her wrist. He stopped abruptly as a shudder ran through the girl's body at the touch of cold metal against her bare skin. He quickly checked to make sure he didn't cut through skin and continued gently sawing away at the duct until it gave way.

"Just bare with me." He said softly, his mind focused on nothing but the task at hand.

He walked around her head to the other bound wrist and held onto bound hand. He then realized how cold she must be; her skin was frigid.

"I'm going to get you out of here." He promised, giving her hand a small squeeze and her eyes sparkled with hope. He beamed to offer what little reassurance could possibly matter in this given scenario before repeating the process and freeing her other wrist. As Icarus worked on the girl's ankles she slowly peeled the duct-tape off of her mouth.

When she was free Icarus sheathed his blade and walked back over toward her head and helped her off of the board, his hand clutching hers and letting her down gently. When her feet hit the ground she threw her arms around him in embrace; partially to show her gratitude, and partially because she couldn't quite stand on her own yet.

Icarus' face was still red from embarrassment and anger and the cold, but he slowly pulled the girl out of his grasp. He stood back toward the middle of the room as she shivered and stood by the board. Icarus picked up on the shudder and took off his ammo satchel. He then unzipped his jacket and set it on the slate of wood before taking off the white sweater he wore under the jacket. He handed it too her, his eyes on the ceiling. He wore a black T-shirt as his third layer of clothing, and goose bumps were already dotting his now bare arm. She looked at him wearily and sighed in relief as she saw his eyes focused on the ceiling before grabbing the white sweater. She slipped it over her naked body and Icarus looked down, observing how the shirt fit her to see if her small and frail body could sustain the cold. No, she was too skinny. The sweater barely reached down past her butt, so Icarus handed her his jacket. At first she shook her head. But he insisted, meeting her green and gold irises with his pale blue ones in empathy. She inhaled and took the jacket.

It came down to almost her knees. She zipped it up and looked at him, sending him a thank you with her gaze. Icarus nodded in recognition; it didn't surprise him that she couldn't speak.

Icarus grabbed his rifle and satchel off the ground and placed them onto the wooden slate. He was going to explain his group's situation to the girl, then reload his weapon, but he was interrupted when the thud of footsteps sounded out. The girl's eyes widened and Icarus drew his revolver, turning and firing a shot at the figure that became visible as he pulled the trigger. The bullet missed the target's head and smacked into one of three candles near the staircase that kept the room fairly lit.

Connor tripped when the gunshot rang out and smacked his head off the bottom stair as he tumbled to the ground in shock. He stood up and saw Icarus, clutching the back of his head which was throbbing in pain.

"What the hell!" Connor exclaimed, flipping his middle finger toward Icarus.

"Sorry!" Icarus said with equal urgency as he holstered his weapon.

"Must you be so paranoid?" Connor questioned as he rubbed the back of his head to try and relieve the pain.

"It's kept me alive; so no." Icarus answered simply, turning to the wood slate and slinging his satchel across his chest and grabbing out a new magazine for his weapon.

"Why aren't you…who's she?" Connor asked, caught in between two questions.

"I'll explain later." Icarus responded. Connor nodded and stopped in thought. Icarus realized Connor was putting together the pieces like he did earlier. His nose flared, and his face went red.

"How are Oliver and Jess? Is she shot?"

"You mean her shoulder? That isn't her blood." Connor answered, "We can talk about that later though. We need to move, now. You hear that?"

Icarus paused and listened intently to the outside world around him. As a matter of fact, he heard nothing.

"Hear what?" He asked as his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Exactly." Connor said, looking toward the stairs, "It just stopped Icarus. They just stopped shooting at us. Our planned work; but we were scared too Icarus. It just _stopped._"

This was war. A pitched dog-eat-dog dance of bullets and blood and pain and suffering and terror; no video game, no action movie, nothing you could possibly fathom. They were just kids who weren't prepared. Even the side that was prepared wasn't.

"Come one." Icarus then beckoned to the girl, who had cowered in the corner. Connor didn't object. Icarus let the girl move in front of him so she was in between him and Connor. Just in case the gunfire picked up back up when the got outside.

"Why?" The girl's feeble voice suddenly spoke as the trio made their way up the stairs and into the hallway.

Icarus stopped as well and so did Connor when he reached the door. The boys shared a gaze for a moment before Icarus spoke.

"They executed one of our kids for nothing." He answered, "An eye for an eye."

"That leaves everyone blind." The girl said quietly. Icarus didn't know how to answer that.

"Let's go; we can't keep them waiting." Connor quickly said to deflect having to answer. Icarus nudged the girl softly with his elbow and she moved forward at a surprising speed considering her situation.

"Alright Icarus." Connor said, maneuvering around the debris and broken glass that had shattered as a result of the gun fire Icarus drew, "We underestimated them. Oliver didn't realize how fast they would be able to mount a counter-attack. Considering how many armed kids they have blocking out exit, we're going to hope we scared them enough that we can exit from the front gates."

Icarus muttered a curse as a breeze flew through the shattered window and pierced through his bare arm. He held out his hand to block the girl from stepping into the living room. She was barefoot; Icarus didn't want her to step on any broken glass.

"This whole thing was a mistake." Icarus commented upon hearing the new plan, "We haven't even gotten past the second house."

"Not entirely." Connor countered, "We succeeded in sending them the message."

"Did we ever gauge the retaliation?" Icarus said.

"It'll be worth it; whatever they throw at us." Connor replied, stepping away from the window and moving back into the foyer.

"How many people will die because of this?" Icarus demanded as he followed Connor.

"Icarus." Connor turned on his heels and looked in the pale blue irises following him, "It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."

He didn't give Icarus time to answer; not that it mattered anyway. Icarus mouth was frozen mid sentence.

Connor slowly opened the door to minimize noise. He cringed and abruptly paused as the door made a resounding and long squeak. After shuddering in fear, he opened it all the way and stepped back.

"W-What…..if one of us get's shot?" The girl asked in the same distant and frail voice.

Connor and Icarus both turned their heads in her direction, because the thought never crossed their minds. In a fight, the thoughts of death never go through your head until after. Humans were hard-wired to believe that no matter what, they'd survive. Until they didn't survive. Icarus thought it would be an interesting reflection when lying on your death bed.

"We won't get shot." Connor told her with a grin, "You know why? Because the three of us are too damn pretty for God to let us die."

Icarus chuckled and the girl offered an obviously forced, yet still miniscule, smile.

"You two go first, I'll cover you." Icarus said, stepping past Connor and leaning against the open doorway, raising his weapon down the street to Maggie's house. The fighters of Valley Forge were all concealed by the broad side of the house where they were taking cover. Icarus noticed the glint of a rifle scope in the corner of his eye and looked to the house where Tess and Oliver where in. Through a large window that peered into the front door, he saw Tess and Oliver watching the three. He momentarily took his gaze off of Maggie's house and looked to them, nodding. Oliver nodded back, and the two disappeared toward the front door.

"Now!" He whispered sharply. Connor and the girl both darted from the house. Connor ran toward the front gates as did Oliver and Tess when the emerged from their house. Icarus watched from his position. They made it too the gates and Oliver and Connor had a hushed conversation. He assumed it was about Red-that's what he decided to call the girl-because Oliver would motion toward her every once in a while. Red went up the ladder first, and after Connor exchanged more words with Tess and Oliver they both put some space between them and the bottom of the ladder. Connor went up next, followed by Tess. Oliver waved over Icarus before he followed.

Icarus took a deep breath and lowered his rifle, observing the goose bumps on his bare skin again. It was a long hike back home; he was afraid of freezing to death on the way.

He began to run from the house, making his body as compact as possible and lowering his head to avoid getting snow in his eyes. That's when Maggie's house erupted.

A hail of bullets hurled themselves toward Icarus. The kids immediately hit pavement and crawled behind a car the best he could. Snow skidded down his shirt and a burning flare of pain went up his back as he crouched behind the same SUV as before. He hadn't been shot miraculously, but there was going to be more than a few cuts on his back when this was over.

Oliver dropped to his knee on top of the guard platform near the front wall as Maggie's troops began to spread out in the streets. Tess, the girl, and Connor had already gone down the ladder on the other side and were on the side of safety from the kids of Valley Forge. They wouldn't leave without Icarus though.

Oliver saw her. Maggie was leading the movement. He smiled to himself and raised his M4, keeping Maggie in his sights as the kids of Valley Forge fired at Icarus. He couldn't kill her; he'd martyr her. With Jeremy in charge this revolution would end in the slaughter of one of the groups. At least Maggie could be reasonable at times. However, he still let loose with a burst, praying for the effect he was hoping for.

The bullets soared next to Maggie's head. In surprise she dropped her rifle and stumbled back, slipping on the icy pavement and smacking the side of her head on the hood of a car. She collapsed in the street, unconscious.

When the gunfire stopped as the kids of Valley Forge rushed to their leader Icarus bolted up, covered by Oliver and his fully automatic M4. Icarus slung his FAL over his back again and began to climb up the ladder as quickly as possible. Oliver went last as Icarus nearly slid down the ladder.

The adrenaline coursing through the five kids veins as they sprinted away from the walls of Valley Forge. All of them were uplifted by the adrenaline and success and terror of the recent gunfight. They weaved through another neighborhood across from Valley Forge, not stopping even though their breaths were becoming labored.

"Roamers!" Oliver called them out in the darkness. Five of them were at the cul-de-sac in front of the group. They stopped, ten feet away. Oliver slung his M4 over his back and slowly drew his gladius. Connor did likewise with his machete. Red drifted naturally behind Icarus. It made sense to him; he saved her from a life of hell.

Icarus drew his revolver, not remembering how many shots he fired by knowing he had enough to fire again. Oliver quickly lowered Icarus' arm as the grown-ups began to saunter toward them.

"We can't attract anymore attention to ourselves." Oliver explained as he looked toward the grown-ups.

Tess got the first one; jamming the wooden stock of her rifle into its forehead and stomping its head to mush when it hit the ground. One lingering around the flank of the group was quickly dispatched by Connor with a thrust to the chest.

Red clung slightly onto Icarus' arm as they stood back and watched. She was frightened, that he could tell, and probably would feel cold later. The adrenaline running in their veins counter acted the cold.

Oliver drove the sharp point of his short sword into a roamers head as the two other converged on him. Occupied with their kills, Oliver was taking on both at once and they were moving at different sides. He slashed his blade into a brutal arc, severing one of their heads clean in half. His heart leapt into his throat though as he felt dead hands grasp his jacket. There was a flash and the hands let go.

Icarus jogged forward and put his boot on the fallen roamer's chest. Oliver looked down and saw that Icarus' knife was embedded in its throat.

"Thank you." Oliver whispered, glad that Icarus was in practice when it came to knife throwing.

"It's what we do." Icarus answered, wiping the bloody blade on his jeans and sheathing the blade.

Oliver offered a smile as the grown-ups were finished off. The five re-grouped together in the now empty cul-de-sac and sprinted together toward the forest and towards home. Icarus pulled Red along, Oliver led the pack in the middle, and Connor and Tess were on the outer sides keeping their flanks safe.

The exhilaration of the skirmish with the grown-ups heightened their feelings of invincibility.

They had run for nearly an hour before Red needed to stop. Wheezing so hard that it wouldn't be surprising if her chest imploded; the group wondered if she had asthma.

They were in a clearing of forest that led to a small incline. Up the incline was a highway with abandoned cars. Oliver speculated hot-wiring a car and driving the rest of the way.

Icarus and Red were freezing. The adrenaline had run thin and Icarus' exposed arms and Red's exposed legs were pale and shaking and covered in goose bumps. They both sat against a tree and wrapped their arms around each other to try and gather body heat. Oliver took off his tan jacket and laid it across Red and Icarus. He had over-prepared for the cold and was wearing a sweatshirt and two T-shirts under that. He wasn't as warm, but he definitely didn't need the jacket as much as they did.

"Tess, Connor and I are going to hot-wire a car." He informed the girl, who was leaning against a tree with her Remington across her stomach, "Keep an eye on them."

Tess offered a small smile and nodded as Connor and Oliver laid down their rifles in front of her. They both then jogged up the incline to the highway. Connor began searching for parts to hot-wire and Oliver looked for a decent and durable car.

Icarus and Red were curled together against the tree with Oliver's tan jacket covering them like a blanket. Icarus' eyes were closed and Red's head was by his chest, were the most heat was.

Icarus couldn't believe it. He didn't pick up on the sweat running down his forehead as his mind raced. He killed seven people but they captured Red and did unspeakable things to her but he still couldn't understand why they had to die and why he had to be the one to pull the trigger and wondered why he was even still breathing because he didn't deserve it if his Mom did and she didn't deserve anything bad despite all the curve balls that were thrown at her and Icarus thought about what happens when he dies because it felt like that day would be soon and he didn't want to die because he had a new home and friends and he saved Red and he managed to redeem the murders of people who were probably scared and they probably had families that loved them and they loved them back and they didn't deserve to die because kids shouldn't be killing each other because they need to band together but they couldn't because…..

"Oliver!" Tess called out in alarm, "Its Icarus! Help!"

Oliver and Connor had found a blue van that would have enough storage space for their group and their guns. He was keeping watch for Connor with his M9 when he heard Tess' cries. Something about Icarus. Connor weaseled his way out from the car and shared a look with Oliver as they both abandoned the task at hand. The nearly skidded down the incline in their haste. As Oliver overtook Connor, fearing the worst, he stopped in his tracks when he reached the rest of his group and saw Icarus. He gave a resounding exhale to calm himself, because he would need it to handle the situation at hand.

This would be Icarus' first panic attack in three months.

Icarus carried himself with confidence around the school, but Oliver remembered. Everyone who went to school with Icarus and Oliver and now resided at the school for sanctuary seemed to forget who Icarus used to be and still was, under his artificial emotion walls. Oliver remembered the quiet, insecure, afraid-of-his-own-shadow Icarus. The one who would be bullied by people like Jeremy because he wasn't very good at sports or didn't wear the 'right' clothes; he was still there, the old Icarus. The new Icarus just did a good job of suppressing the old one.

He remembered in third grade, when he started going by the name Oliver, which Icarus broke down. It was after a math test, and out of fear of having failed he tensed up and had a panic attack in the middle of the class. Oliver and the teacher showed sympathy, but this event only piled more bullying on Icarus' plate.

Oliver had a theory that Icarus' panic attacks were spawned by his father leaving his mother when he was an infant. Icarus knew the attacks were because of the fact that his mother was giving a terrible life and tried to make the best of it, but it still kicked her in the dirt.

Tess and Connor knew about Icarus' panic attacks, but had no experience treating him. Red inched away in shock out from under the jacket-blanket, inching toward Tess even though she was still freezing.

Oliver saw the look in Icarus' eyes; the one a cornered animal gives. Icarus was wheezing and gasping for air. Cold sweat was running down his forehead. His entire body was shaking more vigorously than it was when he was just cold. All symptoms Oliver had seen before when Icarus went under.

"Connor, finish getting the car hot-wired. _Fast_." Oliver ordered under his breath, and Connor paused for a moment before shaking his head to bring him back to reality. They all had jobs to do; and Oliver knew that Icarus needed to get to the school ASAP.

"Shh…." Oliver cooed softly like Icarus' mother would, "Icarus, calm down….everything's okay. We're all still alive."

When Oliver reached forward to grab Icarus' arm, the kid unleashed. He pushed away and out from under the blanket, propelling himself by his arms to try and get away from Oliver. Oliver suspected this; another symptom was the urge to flee the location of the attack and anyone who came in contact with him.

"I-I-I'm los-losing i-i-t…" Icarus stammered out with a raspy voice like he was sobbing, except there weren't any tears. His voice sounded distant and disembodied. He showed the final symptom he usually showed that Oliver recalled; a sense of losing his sanity. Was Icarus already too far gone in the attack?

No one saw Red; her small size gave her that advantage. She managed to stand and moved away from Tess, behind Oliver cautiously. She wanted to help the boy the called Icarus who was under going something she couldn't acknowledge. He helped her escape from that basement of hell where….

She stopped thinking about that. If she thought about the basement she would cry.

Oliver and Tess were just about as surprised as Icarus was when Red made her move. She slipped around Oliver toward the fleeing Icarus and wrapped one of his shaky arms around her neck quickly. She then pulled him up into an embrace.

They both stood there in the clearing, with Red muttering soothing words and rubbing a hand along Icarus' back. Oliver and Tess exchanged a look before they moved in and placed a hand on Icarus' shoulders to help calm him down. When the shaking stopped and Tess wiped away all the sweat and his breathing returned to normal the three of them stepped away. Icarus looked at them all with wide eyes before turning and throwing up in a bush. Oliver wrapped both arms around the boy's waste because he knew what would come after. Icarus passed out, and Oliver's arms kept him from falling into his own throw-up.

Oliver dragged him back toward Tess, struggling under the boy's weight. She understood and assisted Oliver so that they each had an arm wrapped around their shoulders and they pulled along the unconscious Icarus up the incline toward the highway. Red followed, not strong enough to support Icarus' weight. She felt emotionally and physically exhausted.

Connor met them at the top, informing them that the van was ready. Oliver and Tess pulled along Icarus while Connor went back to the clearing to gather the guns. Red decided to help, but Connor insisted on doing most of the work. He carried his AKM and Oliver's M4 up the incline while Red followed, lugging up Icarus' FAL and holding Oliver's jacket.

They re-grouped at the van and pressed Icarus into the back bench-seat with Red and Tess. They covered him with Oliver's jacket and embraced him on both sides to keep warm. Well, Red hugged onto Icarus for warmth. Tess did it because she was worried for Icarus. He was a year younger than her at fourteen, and practically her little brother. It pained her to see him break down.

As Connor loaded up the guns and slipped in the passenger's seat, Oliver started the car and drove as fast as was safe, factoring in other abandoned cars, debris, and the spare grown-up.

Tess turned to Red as the car lurched forward, "Welcome to our dysfunctional family."

They arrived at the walls of the school another hour later. Oliver was worried that the guards would shoot at the van, but Connor rolled down his window and stuck out nearly half his body, making his presence known to the guards. The van stopped at the front wall of the school, and the team-sans the still unconscious Icarus-exited the vehicle.

Matt and Elliot, the current guards at that time, lowered down a ladder to the returned leaders, relieved to see everyone alive and wondering who the new girl was. The two boys gasped though as Icarus was dragged out, suddenly fearing he was shot.

Since the walls lacked a gate, Connor and Oliver drove the van closer to the wall while Tess held onto Icarus. They then took the unconscious group member and hoisted him on the van roof. Connor joined Icarus' limp body up their and motioned for Matt and Elliot to help him lift Icarus over the walls. They were shocked and confused, but still listened. They grabbed Icarus from Connor and laid the boy down on the bus' roof. Connor got off the top of the van and climbed the ladder with the rest of the group.

"What happened?" Matt and Elliot asked simultaneously.

"He's alright; just a panic attack." Oliver answered sternly, "I'll explain later. You tell _nobody_ about that, alright?"

It took a moment, but Matt and Elliot both nodded. They opened an emergency door on the buses roof and Connor slid down into a bus. The rest of them gingerly lowered Icarus down, Connor opening the bus door which faced the school and supporting Icarus' lower body. When Icarus was fully lowered down, Connor began to pull him out of the bus. Tess climbed the ladder propped against the side of the bus and assisted Connor. Oliver motioned for Red to follow them down the ladder, and she did on shaky feet.

"Get him into the nurse's office!" Oliver instructed, "Keep her there for the night too. Get Doc Alice to prepare some water and a bed."

Connor shouted back something in affirmation and kept lugging Icarus to the school with Tess' help. Red opened the glass doors that led to a small foyer for the two, then went forward and opened the next set of glass doors that led into the school itself. It was the dead of night; barely anyone was awake.

Oliver sighed from on top of the bus and watched the rest of his group pull Icarus inside. Matt and Elliot started berating him with questions, but he quickly held up his hand and closed his eyes, sighing again tiredly.

"I'll fill you two in later; let's unpack the van." He said, and under those conditions Matt and Elliot shouldered their rifles and crawled down the ladder to the van.

Oliver followed sluggishly, looking up to the sky, where it still snowed, after he hit pavement.

Had this really been less that _one_ night?

**Hey Reader! I'm not sure if all the chapters will be this damn long, but I don't think you mind (:. I hope I didn't go overboard with the assault on Valley Forge though…..trust me, the killing of kids comes back to haunt the characters in later chapters. Red's real name with be discussed next chapter, as well as how the school operates. Hope you enjoyed the story! Constructive criticism is appreciated, as well as compliments in the review section. Or, feel free to send me a PM (:**

**_Thanks for Reading!_**

**_-Freak_**


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